In 1962, a time when Jamaica was copying the musical style of America, Cecil Bustamente Campbell, later known as Prince Buster, knew that something new was needed. He had his guitarist Jah Jerry emphasize the afterbeat instead of the downbeat. To present day, the afterbeat is esencial to Jamaican syncopation. Ska was born. The soundsystems began recording their own tracks to gain an advantage over the others, not labeling the vinyl so others could not see wht was playing and 'steal' it for their own sound systems. The sound system war escalated to the point that roughfians were sent to compentitor sound system parties to cause problems. These people were know as Dance Hall Crashers. Depsite the primitive mono recording facilities, it was the determination of the Ska enthusiasts which enabled ska to become the first truely commercial Jamaican Music. In fact, the Ska was later named the national dance and music of Jamaica.

Throughout the 1960's the ghetto areas of Jamaica were filling up with youths looking for work that did not exist. These youths felt excluded and did not share in the optimism of early ska roots. These youths drew group identity as 'Rude Boys' (a term, by the way, that originated from a much earlier period: 1940s). Being Rude was a means of being somebody when society was telling you were nobody. The way the Rude Boys danced the ska was different as well: slower with a menacing posture. The rude boys connected with the scofflaws and the underworld... those who lived outside the laws, and this was reflected in the lyric of the music. (Side Note: The Rude boy outfitting was customarily pants that were way to short... a style could still be seen in the 1980's by English Beat Toaster Ranking Roger) Ska music once again changed to reflect the mood of the rude with more tension in the bass as apposed to the previous free-walking bass style.